MRI Brain Image Enhancement Using Filtering Techniques

Magnetic Resonance Image is one of the best technologies currently being used for diagnosing brain cancer at advanced stages. This paper proposes a novel approach for the MRI image enhancement, which is based on the Modified Tracking Algorithm, Histogram Equalization and Center Weighted Median (CWM) filter. This method consists of two approaches. The first approach is applying the modified tracking algorithm to remove the film artifacts, labels and skull region and then applying the Histogram Equalization and Center Weighted Median (CWM) filter techniques separately to enhance the images. Brain tumor is one of the major causes for the increase in Mortality among people. A tumor is an abnormal growth caused by cells reproducing themselves in an uncontrolled manner. This year 2012, an estimated 22,910 adults (12,630 men and 10,280 women) in the United States will be diagnosed with primary malignant tumors of the brain and spinal cord. It is estimated that 13,700 adults (7,720 men and 5,980 women) will die from this disease this year. Brain tumors are the tenth most common cause of cancer death in women. About 4,000 children and teens will be diagnosed with a brain or central nervous system tumor this year. More than half of these are in children younger than 15. About 20% to 40% of patients with other types of cancer will have it spread to the brain. The most common primary cancers that spread to the brain are lung, breast, unknown primary, melanoma, and colon cancer (10). The tumor is divided in to two categories: Primary brain tumor and secondary tumor. A primary malignant brain tumor is one that originates in the brain itself although these tumors often shed cancerous cells to other sites in the central nervous system and spread to other parts of the body. A secondary or metastatic brain tumor occurs when cancer cells spread to the brain from a primary cancer in another part of the body. Detection of brain tumor requires high-resolution brain MRI. Most Medical Imaging Studies and detection conducted using MRI, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Computed tomography (CT) Scan. Now a days MRI systems are very important in medical image analysis. The MRI image shows the clear distinction between the tissues, bones and fluid, so it makes easy to distinguish the tumor part from the image. In order to find the tumor part efficiently the MRI image should be enhanced properly.